Monday, April 06, 2009

By George

My Godson, Owen, was two at the end of February. I had been plotting his birthday present for months before, I had a picture in my head of a jumper or cardigan with cables and pockets but just couldn't find quite the right pattern. Ziggy was a favourite for quite a long time but it wasn't *quite* what I wanted. Trellis was another contender, high up on the list, but I knew I would have to resize it. I was about to give up on finding the perfect pattern when Katie posted a picture of a gorgeous wrap that her mum had knit out of a recent Yarn Yard sock club offering. I immediately asked for the pattern as it was a cute baby knit. It was in a discontinued Jaeger book, JB 29. Flicking through the other patterns in that publication on Ravelry, I found George! It was the pattern I'd been looking for. I had obviously seen it here before and it had lodged itself in my memory.

Then the hunt began to find a copy of the (now out of print) pattern. There were a few on ebay, but I kept missing them, and time was running out. I contacted Jannette at Jannette's Rare Yarns and she managed to get me a copy from Rowan -I got such fantastic service from her, I can't recommend her enough. I was planning on using some felted tweed from my stash for this, but my initial swatch told me there was no way I was going to get gauge so I ordered some Rowan extra fine merino from Jannette as well and took my supplies off to the Lake District with me.

I seriously thought about adapting this pattern into a top down raglan (which should have been fairly easy) but decided now I had gone to all that trouble to get a copy of the actual pattern I should just knit it as written. I had some issues with leaning stitches, and thought I'd forgotten how to knit. However some fellow bloggers gave me the answer to why my stitches are a bit uneven.

I forgot to take the pattern to Skip North, so couldn't finish it there. Instead I spent last week seaming, knitting button bands and collars on the train so I could deliver it in person this weekend.

It was finished blocked and wrapped on Thursday evening and worn on Saturday.

I knit the 2-3 years size and it fits (just). I am hoping it grows a bit when it is washed, otherwise I may be knitting another one in the very near future. I should have taken more notice of the "It comes out small" Ravelry comments. Ooops.

Next time it will definitely be a top down raglan - there is no need for all of that seaming or picking up stitches - my two pet hates - even though my matress stitch has gotten rather good of late!

Pattern: George from Jaeger Handknits JB29 - 27 designer garments for babies and children by Martin Storey

Yarn: Rowan Extra Fine Merino in 894 - Bark (Dark Brown)

Size: 2-3 Years

Started: 23rd February

Finished: 2nd April

Needles: 3.25mm and 4mm addi lace

Comments: It comes up small - so if you are thinking of knitting this, make a bigger size than you think you need!

3 comments:

It's gorgeous and so is your godson! Next time you are in Surbiton area let me know, I'm only down the road in Kingston. I wish I'd known you were looking for a copy of the Jaegar baby book, I have a copy you could have borrowed.